Office Chair Headrest: Do You Actually Need One? (An Honest Debate)
A headrest is one of those features people have strong opinions about before they've tried one. So let's settle it properly — both sides, real research, no sales spin.
Here's a conversation we have with customers almost every week. "Should I get the headrest?" quickly followed by, from about half of them, "Nah, I'll never use it." And you know what? Sometimes they're right. Sometimes they're very wrong.
An office chair headrest is one of those features people have strong opinions about before they've actually tried one. So let's settle it properly, both sides, real research, no sales spin. Do you actually need a headrest on your office chair? Here's the honest answer.
First, what a headrest is actually for
Let's clear up the biggest misconception right away, because it's the source of most of the disagreement.
A headrest is not designed to support your neck while you're sitting bolt upright, hammering out emails. When you're in an active, upright posture, your head should be balanced over your shoulders with a neutral neck, no support needed. That's the healthy default.
A headrest is designed for reclined postures. When you lean back, to think, read, take a call, or just decompress for a minute, your headrest catches the weight of your head so your neck muscles can switch off. The ANSI/HFES 100-2007 ergonomic standard describes reclined sitting (torso and neck reclined between 105 and 120 degrees) as a legitimate rest posture, one that unloads the back, neck, and shoulders and reduces pressure on the spine and discs.
So the real question isn't "do headrests support your neck?" It's "do you recline enough to benefit from one?" That's what this whole debate hinges on, and it's why the answer genuinely differs person to person.
Let's give the pro-headrest argument its full due, because the evidence behind it is real.
It measurably reduces neck and shoulder muscle load
A study found that proper head and neck support can reduce muscle activity in the upper trapezius and cervical extensors (the muscles that hold your head up) by up to around 21%. Your head weighs roughly 5kg. A headrest that lets you offload it during reclined moments genuinely takes strain off the muscles that otherwise carry it all day.
It's a recognised feature of a properly designed work chair
Neck support isn't a gimmick bolted on to justify a higher price. Research published in Multidisciplinary Aspects of Design lists "neck support with adjustable height and tilt" among the features a properly designed work chair should include, alongside lumbar support, seat depth adjustment, and the rest. It's part of the recognised ergonomic toolkit, not an add-on invented by marketing departments.
It supports recline, which is genuinely good for you
Reclining isn't laziness. It's a gravity-reduced posture that unloads your spine. Transferring your weight into a reclining backrest has been shown to significantly reduce spinal disc pressure (Humanscale Ergonomic Workstation Guide). A headrest is what makes that recline properly restful, without one, your head tips back and your neck has to hold it, which defeats the point. If you're someone who leans back to think or take calls, a headrest turns those moments into genuine micro-breaks for your neck.
Taller people benefit more (the underrated point)
Here's a nuance that doesn't get enough attention: the taller you are, the more a headrest tends to matter. The Allsteel/BIFMA ergonomic guidelines note that a backrest needs to reach roughly 25 inches to support up to shoulder level, and around 34–36 inches to provide head support. On a standard mid-back chair, a taller person's head and upper neck extend above the top of the backrest entirely, unsupported. For them, a high-back chair with a headrest isn't a luxury, it's the difference between full spinal support and half of it. Shorter users, whose heads sit within the backrest's range, feel this less.
Now the honest other side, because a good headrest debate has one.
If you sit upright all day, you might never use it
This is the crux of the "I'll never use it" crowd, and they're not wrong. If your work is heads-down, upright, screen-focused computer work for eight hours, and you rarely lean back, a headrest just sits there, behind your head, doing nothing. Some ergonomic chairs deliberately skip the headrest precisely because they're built for active, upright sitting where your head stays balanced over your shoulders.
A badly positioned headrest can nudge you into bad posture
Here's the subtle risk that genuine ergonomists raise: on some chairs, a fixed or poorly positioned headrest can push your head slightly forward when you're sitting upright, encouraging exactly the forward-head posture you're trying to avoid. This is why adjustability matters so much. A headrest that adjusts for height and angle can be set out of the way for upright work and into position for recline. A cheap, fixed one can genuinely get in the way.
It can't fix a bad setup
A headrest is a fine-tuning feature, not a foundation. It can't correct a monitor that's too low, a desk that forces your shoulders up, or a chair that's the wrong size for you. If your neck hurts because your screen is below eye level, a headrest won't fix it, it'll just shift the discomfort around. Get the fundamentals (chair fit, lumbar, monitor height) right first. A headrest is the last 5%, not the first.
Headrest vs no headrest: the honest comparison
| Headrest | No Headrest | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Recliners, tall users, long-hours, frequent calls | Upright, heads-down computer work, shorter sits |
| Neck load during recline | Reduced (up to ~21% less muscle activity) | Neck holds head during recline |
| Upright typing | No real benefit (should be out of the way) | Perfectly fine — head balanced over shoulders |
| Tall users | Full spinal + head support | Head extends above backrest, unsupported |
| Risk | Poorly positioned = forward head nudge | None, but no rest support when leaning back |
| Verdict | Genuinely useful if you recline or you're tall | Genuinely fine if you sit upright and shorter |
So, do you need a headrest? The honest verdict
Forget the strong opinions. It comes down to how you actually sit.
You recline, or you're tall
You're on the taller side (your head clears the top of a standard backrest), you lean back to think, read, or take calls, you work long hours and value the recline-and-rest micro-breaks, or you spend a lot of time on video calls where you naturally sit back.
You sit upright, and shorter
You sit upright and heads-down almost all the time, you rarely recline, you're shorter (your head sits within the backrest's support range anyway), or you just prefer a cleaner mid-back chair.
Neither choice is wrong. The right answer is the one that matches how you work, which is exactly why we make it optional rather than forcing it on everyone.
Not sure which camp you're in? Take our quick Find Your Fit quiz, it factors in your height and how you sit, and points you at the right setup in about two minutes.
The best part: you don't have to decide forever right now
Here's what most people don't realise, and it takes the pressure off the whole decision.
Several of our chairs come in both a headrest and no-headrest variant, so you choose what fits you. The Flow (from R4,600) and the best-selling Pro Flow (from R5,900) both let you pick with or without an adjustable headrest at checkout. So if you're genuinely unsure, you can start with the no-headrest version, live with it, and see how you actually sit. If you find yourself leaning back and wishing you had head support, you've lost nothing by waiting, and you know for certain it's worth it.
And if you already know you want the neck support, some chairs include an adjustable headrest as standard, like the entry-level Essential (from R2,900) and the flagship Axis (from R8,900). The key across all of them is that the headrest is adjustable for height and angle, which is what lets it support your head properly in recline and stay out of the way when you're upright.
Either way, you're not locked into a decision you'll regret. Browse the full range here or get in touch if you want a straight recommendation for your height and work style.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on how you sit. A headrest is designed to support your head during reclined postures, not upright computer work, so it benefits people who lean back to think, read, or take calls, people who work long hours, and taller users whose heads extend above a standard backrest. Research shows proper head and neck support can reduce upper trapezius and neck muscle activity by up to around 21% during recline. If you sit upright and heads-down almost all the time, or you're shorter and your head sits within the backrest's range, you may never use a headrest, and that's completely fine. Neither choice is inherently better; the right one matches your posture and proportions.
For the right person, yes. If you recline frequently, work long hours, take a lot of calls, or are tall enough that a standard backrest doesn't reach your head, a headrest provides genuine neck and shoulder relief during rest postures and is worth the modest upcharge. If you sit upright at your screen almost all day and rarely lean back, the money is better saved. A useful approach is to buy a chair that offers the headrest as an option, start without it if you're unsure, and confirm from experience whether you actually recline enough to benefit.
A properly designed and adjusted headrest should support the back of your head, not cradle your neck like a travel pillow. When set at the correct height and angle, it helps maintain the natural curve of your cervical spine during recline without pushing your head forward. This is why adjustability matters: a fixed headrest at the wrong height can nudge your head forward and worsen posture during upright work, while an adjustable one can be positioned correctly for rest and moved out of the way for focused typing.
It can, if it's poorly positioned or fixed in place. On some chairs, a headrest set too far forward can push your head into a forward-head posture during upright work, which is the opposite of what you want. This is uncommon with a properly adjustable headrest that can be set for height and angle, since you can position it for recline and move it clear when sitting upright. A headrest also can't fix underlying problems like a low monitor or a poorly fitted chair; get those fundamentals right first.
Neither is universally better; it depends on your height and how you sit. A mid-back chair without a headrest suits active, upright computer work, especially for shorter users whose heads sit within the backrest's support range. A high-back chair with an adjustable headrest suits taller users (whose heads extend above a mid-back), people who recline often, and those who work long hours or take frequent calls. Because ergonomic guidelines show a backrest needs to reach roughly shoulder level for upper-body support and higher still for head support, taller users in particular benefit from the added height and a headrest.
The bottom line
The headrest debate has a frustrating answer for anyone hoping for a simple yes or no: it depends on you. But that's also the honest one, and it's more useful than the strong opinions floating around.
A headrest is genuinely valuable if you recline, take calls, work long hours, or are tall enough that a standard backrest leaves your head hanging. It's genuinely unnecessary if you sit upright and heads-down all day and rarely lean back. The research supports both positions, because they describe two different ways of sitting.
The good news is you don't have to gamble. Pick a chair that offers the headrest as an option, be honest with yourself about how you sit, and if you're still unsure, start without one, you can always upgrade your next chair once you know. No regret, no wasted money.
